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New Owner (Cambridge, MA). First Problem!! 1990 K75C

Hi All,

Pleasure to be here. I had some trouble logging in to the forum this week, so thanks to all who greeted me on the facebook page. Now that I'm in, let me introduce my 1990 K75C...and its oil leak. I got great advice on the facebook about dealing with it, but as I mentioned there, unfortunately I'm mechandicapped (ie. mechanically challenged) and wouldn't even know how to begin to tackle this issue (though I'd like to learn). So the bike is currently in the shop awaiting diagnosis (and awaiting...and awaiting...been there since Monday). The second picture shows how much oil dripped out in about a four hour period. Any guesses? It had been dripping consistently for about a week prior. Is that a serious amount of oil, or would it still be drivable? Just to add background info: I bought the bike last November (sans leak), stored it indoors all Winter, and got it inspected/tuned up (oil change, etc.) about a month ago. The leak began after I started riding it daily a few weeks ago.

My brother is the worse mechani-capped person I know. He once asked me tohelp him remove a stuck cassette tape from the player (back in 1989). He doesn't own any tools because he wouldn't know how to use it.

Everyone has limitations and depends on yours. The 3 allen bolts you see is literally all you have to work with, if you're comfortable. The O-ring inside is a few dollars at any BMW Motorcycle dealer, or can be bought on-line. Be nice to get a torque wrench to avoid overtighten, which I have done a few times on cars in the past.

I hate giving the shop $60-120/hr for stuff I can see and do. Some stuff is just easier to have the shop do it, some stuff I find therapuetic doing it myself. Some I'm just too cheap to part with my money so I try, like my handle bar flex which is becoming a pain in the axx.

Before you go taking that cover off I would

Get a manual on it so that you have an understanding of how to remove and reinstall the cover and the proper torque range for the bolts. You also want to know what to look for that would cause the oils leak. Things such as O-ring not replaced, o-ring was damaged when it was replaced, crack in or damage to the cover, cover was not tightened and the worse case scenario would be stripped threads on the oil sump for those 3 screws.

It is my understanding that the removal of that cover also drains the oil sump! If that's the case you will need more than a shop rag to contain the drips.

Is the bike at the shop that performed the services(oil change was one)for you when you purchased the motorcycle? If so they may have forgotten something or worse damaged something and are delaying the inevitable. Or they are simply to busy to fix their mistake.

It may or may not be a quick and easy fix especially if the oil leak is a result of a mistake during the recent oil change that was performed.

If the shop is the same one that did the work and they are just sitting on the return repair then I would seriously looking around for another shop to fix it and send the bill to the original shop.

Hate to be the preacher of doom or the devils advocate but you need the facts. Call your shop and explain to them you want a diagnosis on the oil leak and if it was caused by them you want it fixed correctly and for free.

It is actually a different shop than the one that performed the oil change. The reason for the long delay is that they are super backed up right now. But I'll wait to see what their diagnosis is before determining what to do next. I do have the manual, and in the future I'm hoping to venture into minor maintenance. I actually joined the MOA so I could start posting this kind of thing and getting advice, but due to log in issues earlier this week I decided not to wait any longer. Thanks for the tips everyone.

Hopefully it's just the O ring. I'd do that first and clean it up to see if the problem goes away. If it leaked that much oil sitting still (engine not running) - chances are good it is. If that's not it, it may be the oil seal in your oil/water pump (I think I see some fresh looking oil at the weep hole..) That's a lot bigger job, and if you're not comfortable with wrenching, this is one to leave to a pro.

Also - I'm adding the year/model to your thread title. The better your question is - the better the answers will be, first you have to get people to spot and open the thread, so model/year is good info to have. Please take a look at: http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?46057

Good luck, and please let us know what the resolution is.. that info helps other people later who may have the same problem.

Before I purchased my k75, a friend gave me an Yamaha XS750 that had an oil leak that was a real challenge for a few days. Coming out in the morning, I would find a pool of oil under the bike. I would clean up the mess and check for leaks. Nope. No leaks. Nuthin. So off I would ride. No leaks were found when I was on the road and no leaks when I would first get home. The next morning I would again have a lake under my bike. Drove me nuts!

All of my friends are practical jokers. Could they be pouring oil on the concrete under my bike? Is this pay back time for all the jokes I played on them over the years?

No and no again. The drain plug had been tightened down just a little to tight, giving the oil pan a very, very small hairline crack that did not leak when cold and was extremely difficult to spot. When I would park the bike at night, the hot oil would drain into the pan and expand the metal and start a leak. The oil and engine would cool down overnight and I would not have a leak the next morning.

So my question to you is this, Did they torque the bolts down too tight and crack the oil pan?

Don - thanks for the tips, both bike and forum related. My real name, unfortunately, is not atz840, it's Alex (I'll add that in somewhere on future posts).

Agent Brick - we'll find out soon enough. The diagnosis should come from the shop any day now (it's been a week and they still haven't got to it). I am learning a little too late that the forum offers much quicker diagnoses! I'll remember that for next time and give it a whirl myself. Stay tuned...

Alex, if you are seeking to learn about wrenching your bike, I've got an offer for you. Get it back from your dealer, ride it out the 90 miles to the western part of our state, and I'll walk you thru the process of diagnosing and fixing your oil leak.
Welcome to the brand.

Alex, first I want to thank for coining the new word MECHANDICAPPED! (That's me too.) The previous post sounds like a great way to learn something and probably make a new friend. First, of course, to get his address and suitable day, you'll probably need to learn how to send him a PM (personal message) and if you need help, you won't receive it from me. (Handicapped in this area too. But help is available for the asking on this forum.)

This forum is a GREAT place to pose questions when you have a mechanical problem. On rare occasions a suggested solution that works even fits OUR mechanical aptitude. (I fixed my flakey speedo by removing and then re-installing all the fuses. No, I'm not kidding, and the "fix" has held.) More often, you will get several replies of the plausible causes of your problem. Write them down and ask the mechanic to check them out. Specify that he check the quickest/cheapest things first. You are helping the mechanic solve your problem - and probably saving yourself money. However good he is, he is not likely to have a lot of experience with your elderly bike. But there are a number of folk here that DO have the experience and knowledge to steer you in the right direction.

Haha, I thought "mechandicapped" was a pretty good one, Don. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one, and it's encouraging that the forum system works even for dudes with our skill level, or lack thereof. I'd tell the mechanic to check out the problems mentioned above, but that would presume that they will one day get to my bike. Is this turnaround usual for bike maintenance? I've gotten two inspections and tune-ups done in a matter of hours at a place outside Boston. In the city however, we're looking at a timeframe of weeks. Luckily, I did figure out the direct message, and may take Tony Carlos up on that offer (oh and I forgot to mention Tony, the beer is on me, of course), if this drags any longer.

You are missing some great riding weather while your bike sits in the shop. I suspect the shop looks at yours a low priority, even though it appears to be a quick fix.
I'm with the rest of the posters who voted on leaking filter cover plate. With any luck it should just be an o-ring replacement. It will require an oil draining. You can decide whether the oil gets changed or reused.
The only other likely option is a bad seal in the oil/water pump. Those pumps run around $300 from BMW (last time I bought one) but can be had for around $100 used off the net.
I've got the garage, the tools and the experience. Let me know how you make out with your dealer.